A student-operated restaurant opens for the summer

The restaurant, located in the Greta W. Watson Culinary Arts Center on Campus Drive, is open to the public.

Nearly 50 people showed up for the grand opening to try food from the menus students created with themes from places like Spain, Japan and France.

Students in the Culinary Arts program run the restaurant alongside their classmates. Those in their second semester serve as the wait staff and graduating seniors work in the kitchen.

"This is the real world experience," Mark Schneider, state division director for Culinary Arts at TSTC said. "This is where they're really figuring out not only the service side of it in the dining room but also running a kitchen and what the executive chef is going through."

Felipe Parra is a senior in the Culinary Arts program. He said he enjoys this experience since it gives him the chance to serve in multiple positions in the kitchen.

"You're just working, you're doing what you love and you're working with people who also love what you're doing and they're on the same page with you and I think that's awesome," Parra said.

The restaurant will be open May 30 - Aug. 17 from 11 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. on Wednesday's and Friday's. The serving days and themes, which can be subject to change, are the following:

May 30 and June 1: Texas

June 6: Chef's Choice Buffet

June 13 and 15: Japan

June 20 and June 22: Spain

June 27 and June 29: Scotland

July 6: Chef's Choice Buffet

July 11 and July 13: France

July 18 and July 20: Central Mexico

July 25 and July 27: Cajun

Aug. 1 and Aug. 3: Italy

Aug. 8 and Aug. 10: Chef's Choice

Aug. 15 and Aug. 17: Live-Action Buffet

Weekly menus will be posted on the Facebook page for the Greta W. Watson Culinary Arts Center at TSTC in Waco.

To make reservations, call 254-867-3123. Visitors must arrive at least 15 minutes before their seating time.